I’ve often wondered why as we age we are often still drawn to the “golden oldies” of our youth–there’s great music being produced every day, why continue to play the old? I’m being convinced that it’s because at the time we were first introduced to those songs we felt the most vibrant and alive with youthful bodies and our entire lives of possibilities before us. We were rash and impulsive (after all, our brains are not fully developed until our late 20s) and our responsibilities are more limited living at home but with new freedoms of first jobs, cars and crushes.
You might be asking, how does this all relate to Christmas this week? Well, I feel most alive when singing some “golden oldies” of the Christmas season circa 2007.
The two songs I’m singing (and would love you to sing too) are
Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?
–Downhere
God is a God of surprises, isn’t he? Breaking into this broken world as a tiny helpless infant–this isn’t the Messiah Jews expected. Far too often, we also have expectations for how Jesus will show up in our lives and what exactly the “Good News” is. Downhere talks about Jesus coming to “romance a world that is torn all apart,” to live and to suffer and die, “all for me, all for you.” As Anabaptists we focus on Jesus’ saving work as both for the here and now as well as eternally. Jesus comes to heal all relationships broken by sin. Our relationship with God, others, ourselves, and all of creation. I hope that this Christmas season we all think about the surprising ways Jesus entered our world long ago and continues to enter our world.
“And the first time
That You opened Your eyes did You realize that You would be my Savior
And the first breath that left Your lips
Did You know that it would change this world forever?”
–Relient K
Now, theologically I want to add a few more verses to “I Celebrate the Day” to round out Jesus’ contribution not just to the vertical relationship of saving individual lives, but the lines “And the first breath that left Your lips // Did You know that it would change this world forever?” is one that makes me catch my breath every time! That first breath taking is a holy moment–that moment when a new life becomes truly a part of this world–no longer protected by the womb, all that is evil in the world now has access to precious babe, yet we are sustained by God-given breath. We are surrounded by the Holy Spirit. What did Christ know at that moment?
These are only a few of things I ponder as I transition from Advent into the Christmas season and begin engaging in my songs of the season.
So, how about you, what are the Christmas golden oldies in your life? Maybe they are classic hymns sung for generations, maybe (like me) it was contemporary music from your youth, maybe you heard something new this year that is destined to become a classic soundtrack for your life. How do these songs help you prepare for Christmas and welcome Jesus in your daily life? How do they celebrate Christmas? How do they witness to the Good News of this season and all year round?
Merry Christmas!
-Jennie Wintermote, WDC Resource Library Director
P.S. Though we’re closed the week of Christmas–there are still tons of wonderful Christmas books and DVDs available for all ages. Stop by and pick some up to continue celebrating the season through New Year’s, Epiphany and beyond!